Comments for A shinai or a bokken?

Weights have always been used to build strength, not speed. In order for the muscles involved in thrust and strikes execute, two different kind of muscular fibers need to be involved: fast twitch and slow twitch fibers. Both complement each other to balance the body and the body motion which otherwise could tear either fiber type.

Suburito must be used to develop strength which will need to be refined and compensated by execution of fast movements with a regular weight tool, device or instrument (a shinai in this case.)

In few words, speed practice develops speed. But speed cannot be improved with weak muscles. Hence both type of activities must be practiced in order to balance the body and improve speed.

Bruce Lee for example used to do weight lifting, dynamic tension and other strength developing exercises, but he also practiced speed development by hitting a suspended or string-hung sheet of paper. His flashing striking speed was very well known to all of us.

Kendo-Guide.Com: Nice post. Thank you. I am glad that people like you post these kinds of good articles since I am not an expert in this kind of field.

Again you should not use a suburito unless you know how to control the strength in your right hand and the left hand. Many beginners try a suburito and use the right arm to swing it. That is not a good suburi.

This episode is an answer to a great question by a long-time member, Ming. his question was "Must I strike my opponent as soon as he (she) crosses my striking distance, even when he(she) has not yet m…

Alex Bennett sensei gave Indianapolis Kendo Club a seminar on shinai keiko and kata keiko. This is one of the methods he introduced us to improve our strikes. Hope this helps with your kendo study. Hi…